The MPAA released its 2012 theatrical statistics report last week. Among the findings, international ticket sales increased 6 percent to $34.7 billion and China is now second to the U.S. in terms of world markets for theatrical films. California and New York had the highest number of moviegoers in the U.S. Per capita attendance may be declining among teens, but the number of moviegoers across all ages was its highest since 2009.

“The MPAA credited much of the upswing to theater construction worldwide, which has helped foreign markets account for more than two-thirds of most movies’ overall box office haul,” notes USA Today.

“The Chinese box office reached $2.7 billion in 2012, up 36 percent from the year-earlier total, to surpass Japan’s $2.4 billion,” reports The New York Times. “In the United States, the report noted, the increase was driven by a rise in the number of tickets sold, to about 1.36 billion from 1.28 billion a year earlier, while the average ticket price remained almost flat, at $7.96, compared to $7.93 a year earlier.”

“The total number of films released theatrically in 2012 was 677, compared with 609 in 2011 and 455 in 2003,” explains NYT.

The U.S. and Canadian box office achieved a new record of $10.8 billion, which marked a 6 percent increase over the previous year.

According to the MPAA, the total number of global 3D screens rose about 27 percent to 45,545, while U.S. domestic box office for 3D was $1.8 billion, about the same that was reported the previous year.

However, Variety points out: “The average of 3D patronage actually increased among 2-11, 40-49 and 60+ auds, signaling perhaps more families went to 3D movies last year than some might have thought. ‘The Croods’ was an encouraging indicator of that last weekend, grossing 38 percent from 3D — better than ‘Ice Age: Continental Drift,’ ‘Madagascar 3’ and ‘Rise of the Guardians.'”

“While per capita attendance is declining among some age groups (teens, in particular), the number of frequent moviegoers in 2012 was higher than any year since 2009 across all age brackets,” reports Variety. “Moviegoers 25-39 went the most, at 9.9 million vs. 6.3 million in 2009.”